Monday, April 20, 2015

The truth always comes out, no matter how deep you try to bury it. Secrets never make their way to the grave.

Lilly Mayer has always lived a simple life. She’s loyal—maybe too loyal since faithfulness cost her the love of her life. Keeping Eden’s whereabouts a secret from everyone, including Vinny, has ripped away Lilly’s future.

Vincent “Zippo” Torino knows he’s a goddamn bastard. And he’s willing to use Lilly’s loyalty to Eden as his own escape from a hell he created. He doesn’t give a damn that he’s leaving the woman pregnant with his child behind—not when he has to protect his own destructive secret. And not when he’s sure she’s going to beat him to the punch and leave first.

As the dangers to the club escalate, nobody’s hearts—or lives—are safe.

By the time I get home, it’s almost noon. Mom’s gonna kill me. I promised her I’d be back by eight last night. I open the front door, and instantly, I know something is wrong. The house is too quiet. My mom always has the TV blaring the news first thing in the morning while she enjoys her coffee. The TV is off, blinds are drawn shut. “Mom?” I yell. I know I should have at least called or something, but I lost track of time. I was too wrapped up in being with Vinny.

My dad ended up moving up to Calgary, opened a law firm. My parents never got married; actually, I was a result of their one night stand. What can I say- my mom’s sort of a slut, but I don’t judge her. Hell, when my dad does end up visiting, which now that he moved away is maybe once a year if that, him and Mom always end up in bed together. It’s weird. I don’t know what to make of it really.

Mom walks slowly out of the kitchen, eyes red from crying. “What’s wrong?” I ask worriedly. Why is she crying? Is it because she was afraid something happened to me? I didn’t mean to upset her. I know I should have called, but I just wasn’t thinking. I smile on the inside, thinking about the taste of Vinny’s lips lingering on my own. That boy, he knows how to kiss—among other things.

“It’s Eden, honey,” she says quietly, surprising me. I was so sure I was about to get my ass chewed for staying out all night. “Come, let’s have a seat.” She takes my hand tenderly and pulls me into the living room to the couch. I tuck my feet underneath me after toeing off my shoes and wait for what she has to say. But she stares at me blankly, working over something in her head.

“What’s wrong with Eden?” I ask, snapping her out of her trance. Eden’s father is a piece of shit, and if there is bad news about Eden, I fear it’s something really, really bad. I’m scared something’s happened to my friend. I’m afraid her dad has done something to her.

“She left, honey. She took the bus out late last night,” she tells me gently, rubbing her fingers soothingly over my knuckles. I’m not sure if the gesture is to give her comfort or me.

I frown. “What? Why would she just leave? Did her mom go with her?” Why would one of my best friends just up and leave without so much as a goodbye. Eden and I tell each other everything- well, almost everything. I think about the fact that I’ve kept seeing Vinny a secret from her.

Mom chews on her bottom lip, as if wondering what to tell me. “Yes, she ran with her mother.” The way she says it, I know she’s keeping something from me. “We can’t tell anyone, not even the boys. No one can know. You have to promise me,” she says urgently. Her worried eyes are begging me to keep this secret.

“I don’t understand, Mom,” I tell her, confused. What’s changed? Last time I talked to Eden, she was excited, said she was ready to go all the way with her boyfriend Jasper. My mind shifts to Jasper. How’s he going to react when he realizes she’s gone? He’s always been so possessive when it comes to Eden.

“If William finds out where they are, he’ll kill them. Eden promised to keep in touch, but she begged me to make sure not one person knew anything about where she is or why, okay?” she says.

“Is she okay?” I ask, wanting to know how my friend is.

Mom shakes her head slightly. “I don’t know, baby. I don’t know,” she whispers. Mom wraps her arms around my shoulders and kisses me on the temple. “You smell like smoke. Go get in the shower, and I’ll fix us some breakfast.”

My mind is heavy with worry as I trudge to the bathroom for a shower. How in the hell am I going to keep my mouth shut when it comes to my friends? I picture Willy, Eden’s no good father in my head; he will kill them if he ever hears of this. Hell, he’d kill me if he thought I knew where they are. I have to keep this a secret—no one can know, not even Hilary, for now.

Stripping down to my undies, I turn the faucet and wait for the water to warm. I watch as the water circles the drain, feeling like the water is my life as it washes away. Everything I have come to know has changed; life as I’ve known it is going to be much different without Eden. I can already feel the weight of her secret bearing down on my shoulders.

After spending years suffering abuse at the hands of her father and protecting her baby sister, Eden Blake takes a chance. She calls on the Angels Warriors MC asking for protection just months before her father is to be released from prison. She never expected that call would bring her face to face with her past.

Jasper ‘Angel’ Hughes, President of the Angels Warriors MC, battled his way to the top. He fought his way through hell, cleaning up the mess that was once Satan’s Law MC. Wanting to serve a better purpose in life he took on the role of child protector. Protecting them from their hellish lives and getting them away from their abusers. When he gets the call to protect Eden, the first girl he ever loved, he vows to win her back and never let her go again.

But when a new secret comes to light that Eden was hiding, will they get their Happily Ever After?

Dawn Martens is a young, spunky Canadian Author, who is known for her best-selling “Renegade Sons MC” series that she co-authored with Author Emily Minton. But she started her journey co-authoring the series "Resisting Love" with Author Chantal Fernando.

Being a wife to Colin, and a mother to three beautiful little girls (Sarah (2007), Grace (2010), and Ava (2014)) hasn’t stopped this Canadian Firecracker from pursuing her dreams of becoming a writer!

She has also co-authored The Love Song Series with her friend and fellow writer, Author Emily Minton; on top of serving as a mentor and support system for many Authors in the Indie community over the past few years. On top of that, she is also going to be working with two other authors on a few projects. Including a few solo projects.

Dawn’s number one passion in life is the written word, and she’s extremely thankful that she has to ability to share the ramblings from the characters inside of her head with the rest of the world!

She also may or may not have the hugest girl crush on Author Kristen Ashley, who is her personal idol and helped inspire Dawn in the beginning of her Indie career.